Outfits?

30.4.12

I had some trouble putting together this look. I didn't know what tights and shoes to pair the blouse and dungaree dress with. This looks ok, but it's not perfect. It needs a pop or a bit of punch of some sort to balance out the yellow, no? Maybe I'm just being silly.

I love graffiti. I personally think we should cover ALL of the city with graffiti. Not that I've ever done any myself, but I even like the crappy amateurist ones. Adds some flava to the grey, and you know I'm all about color. Anyway, matches nicely with my school outfit. Or maybe I match the city walls?

29.4.12

Somewhere in Belgium, miss Paulien is sighing of frustration because I got to take this pretty pastel neon nude peach knit vintage (yes all of that) top home for only 4€. Ah, those Think Twice sales! I got lots of pink stuff. I really love sweaters A LOT and I'm always on the lookout for versions in unusual colors. I find it sad that whenever you're looking for something warm to wear, you end up with beiges and whites, red, navy, grey or black. Why doesn't everything come in sunshine colors? HM?

I've had this skirt for years and I hardly ever wear it. I think it's adorable but the proportions are hard to pair with a top. The length and width need to perfect for this to work, and when I haphazardly threw these two pieces together, they just clicked. Also, I'm wearing a neon pink bra underneath this open-ish knit for a bit of oomph. Saucy!

If you haven't voted for me yet in the Knack Weekend awards: today is the last day! Click on the ad in the upper right corner of my blog and vote vote vote! :-D

Make up of the day: lilac all over the eyelid, icy pastel blue in the outer corners.

28.4.12

Just a simple, comfortable, warm look I threw together. Reminiscent of the seventies, but then I paired it with this first attempt at a dramatic 60s eye (still obsessing over Megan Draper) and it got all postmodern, muddling history and all. Very Baudrillard. Gosh I'm really annoying.

Anyway, I'm sure going to keep
experimenting with this look because it is fierce. I don't know why the
emphasized upper lid crease ever went out of style, it's such a cool
look! I followed this tutorial
but I didn't have the right tools and I wasn't in the mood for fake
lashes so the end result is a bit shoddy, but you get the idea. I really like how this make up makes my eyes look simultaneously bigger and more bedroom-y. Party quirky/innocent, part sexy. Yeay!

27.4.12

If you read any other Belgian blogs, I'm sure you're already sick and tired of us nagging about the awful weather. But the last two weeks have literally been rain non stop, and it's getting me down! Of course it doesn't help that the temperatures are very low for the time of year, and that I'm basically cooped up working on my master's thesis 90% of the time instead of, uhm, enjoying spring. Not that there's much spring to enjoy DAMNIT

But I'm a positive person. So when I COULD stop at the nagging part I just typed up, I don't! In fact, the crap weather inspires me. That's right, I'm one of those very annoying Amélie Poulain type girls who still manage to find the rainbow behind the clouds. Except for the fact that Amélie is all sweetness and light while I'm more sour and bite, but that's just my style yo. Don't hold it against me.

To get to the point: these grey days of semi-spring SCREAM for pops of color. I'm sick of wearing muted, dark shades for months on end. And what better way to add some punch and whimsy to your outfit than by wearing a pretty, pastel coat? I spent a study break on etsy gathering some options. I faved every one of these coats (and more!), so if you want to buy one you can find them through my etsy faves page!

And my ultimate faves:

SWOONSVILLE! I'm actually contemplating buying one of these, but I'll stay strong until I can't wait any longer. Not convinced?

26.4.12

Everything's better with a sailor collar, AMIRITE? I totally am. Also, I think these shoes are totally the most adorable thing ever and I love how the burgundy goes with everything, but sadly they have proven to be too big for me :( the risk of ordering shoes online. I'd say these are a narrow EU39, and they are basically in flawless condition apart from some staining on the inside.

I don't think these have actually been worn much (if ever), since the leather isn't even creased or anything. And they're real leather! So if anyone (preferably here in Belgium, or the shipping would get too expensive) is interested or wants to know more/see more pictures: drop me a line at thestylingdutchman@hotmail.com! I'm selling for 30€ (excluding shipping, which would probably be about 5-6€ nationally) and if you live near me or in Antwerp, we could even work something out sans shipping costs! I don't think you'll be able to find real leather vintage Ferragamo lookalikes for a better price over here, so, like, ACT!

PS: please don't forget to vote for my blog, just click on the Weekend Blog Award banner on the top right of my page and vote for yours truly! You have to vote on one blog per category and enter a valid email address at the end or your vote won't count! We have until Sunday to vote. EXCITING!

I have a confession to make. I have this thing for vintage and retro
stuff. No really! I know you'd never have guessed, right? Well now you
know! Another confession: I haven't seen The Artist yet. I'm pretty sure
the movie is amazing and I for one don't mind silent or black and white
movies at all, but my boyfriend is a whiny kid who hardly ever wants to
go to the movies with me so I missed out. Apparently, silly boyfriends
not wanting to watch movies or tv with their doting girlfriends isn't
something only I am experiencing: during a bit of a girly gossip slash
feeling sharing sesh, my sister told me her dude is just the same. WHAT
is up with that, guys? Why is the internet so much more interesting than
a movie? UGH

Anyway, back to this post: I love basically
everything dainty and whimsical and vintage, so this little The Artist-esque video gets
my vote of approval. Also, do you DIE for those huge espadrille wedges? I
do I do I do! Perfect to give any type of girl wobbly Alexa legs in the
best way possible! But this vid isn't about that, it's about cute
azzezzories and a doggie and a cute guy looking all sportsy in the pool
for no apparent reason and stripes! I totally would have went with the
tortoise shell sunnies btw, lady-in-video. All of this sparkly sparkle
was brought to your attention for one reason: to let you know that
accessories are the bomb diggity, and to notify you that Maasmechelen
Village is offering you the chance to win a Furla Candy bag (all bright
and seethrough and lush) or an equally amazing Michael Kors purse in
Ostrich leather! Click through to enter the competition, and good luck!

25.4.12

I have a party coming up this Saturday, so naturally I spent some free time trying on those fabulous pieces one never gets to wear on a normal day of, say, school or work. I bet you have a few items hanging in your wardrobe that you love with all your heart, yet hardly ever get to take out for a spin. Doesn't that suck? IT SURE DO

So here I am, prancing around in my LanvinxH&M dress and my new Naughty Monkey shoes. The Lanvin H&M collaboration seems to have gotten a bad rep, but I personally think this dress is a total dreamboat.

Escapism at its best. Do you love quirky, glamorous shoes as much as I do? In that case, it's your lucky day! The awesome people behind Naughty Monkey are offering to gift one of my awesome readers a pair of shoes!

And that's it! This contest is open internationally, so anyone can enter. The winner will be picked on May 2nd.

If you're in doubt, just check their facebook page as they have several bloggers incorporating some of these shoes in outfits. I always google people wearing a certain piece if I can't decide whether I NEED it or not. My fave is obviously this insane pair of multi glitter peeptoes (Heya Hot Stuff), but I really dig Overboard and Marionette as well.. Good luck!

24.4.12

I bet that if you'd ask a sample of Flemish people what their national dish might be, a significant majority would answer "frietjes met stoofvleessaus" which translates to "french fries with beef stew". Actually, we don't call them french fries because it's OUR fries and the French think they invented everything (Belgians have a bit of an inferiority complex regarding their neighbours). And your beef stew isn't exactly the same as our national pride stoofvleessaus. Stoofvleessaus is a slow simmered dish of beef cooked in beer, seasoned with a defining mix of herbs. I cooked it from scratch this afternoon after tasting my sister's amazing rendition two weeks ago, and I took pictures to guide you along!

What you'll need:

This is basically what I used to cook a generous portion for two persons. 700 grams of beef (since we're cooking a stew, don't bother with nice parts, pick something chewy and tough like a part of the chuck), two onions, dark beer and the good kind of mustard (granular). Also used but not pictured: a slice of bread, a bit of brown sugar (to taste), bayleaf and stoofvleessaus herbs (you can buy it prepackaged or google the components to mix it up yourself).

What you need to do:

Heat up some butter + oil (to keep the butter from burning) in a heavy skillet, preferably one without a non-stick coating (anti-aanbaklaag) because you need to get some color on that beef. It won't brown properly in one of those pans.

Toss in half of the meat. You want to cook the meat with dry heat rather than wet heat (stir fry rather than boiling) because wet heat makes your meat chewy. Let it get some color and then transfer in a bigger pot where you'll be making your stew. Repeat with the second batch of meat.

Get the onions in there to soak up the juices left behind by the meat. Another plus is that these onions will make it a lot easier to clean your skillet afterwards, it removes all of the burned residu. Transfer the onions to the pot with the cooked meat.

Open up a beer, take it over here and play a videogame. Or no, just pour it into the pot! There should be just enough for the liquid to cover up most of the meat. If you need more, pop open another bottle or use some stock.

Turn up the heat and bring that shiz to a boil! Don't put a lid on it, the alcohol needs to evaporate.

This is the time to add the bayleaf, the sugar and the other herbs.

Mustard time! Get that slice of bread and spread a generous amount of mustard on it.

Put the slice of bread in the pan and if the sauce has reduced to your liking, cover it up with a lid. Turn the heat down as low as possible without turning it off completely, and let your concoction stew for about an hour and a half. Don't forget to check now and then to make sure shit ain't burning! Mine was cooked a bit too long and thus a bit too reduced, but still very very yummy.

Serve with:

Fries, fresh tomato slices (I season them with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper) and some salad. SO good and very authentic yo. Bon appetit!